Fearless
by AkumaBishiYuki
Summary: Kagome is left in the pouring rain, alone, abandoned by her so called friends. Found and taken in by the Band of Seven, she soon discovers a deep need to protect the group, even going as far as to offer her abilities to the group in finding the shards and even fighting Inuyasha.


**Fearless**

**Summary: Kagome is left in the pouring rain, alone, abandoned by her so called friends. Found and taken in by the Band of Seven, she soon discovers a deep need to protect the group, even going as far as to offer her abilities to the group in finding the shards and even fighting Inuyasha.**

**Anime: InuYasha**

**Pairing: Slight Kagome/Bankotsu – Kagome/Jakotsu **

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Angst/Drama**

**Rated: M**

**-x-x-x-**

**Alone**

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome sat out in the cold of the night, staring straight in front of her from beneath the Goshinboku, her eyes still stung from crying so much after the horrible happenings between her and her _friends _earlier.

She couldn't comprehend what had actually occurred. She remembered yelling...screaming...red eyes... Oh Kami, those angry red eyes...

"_Inu..."_ She sniffled, trying to hide her tears from the prying eyes of the already crying skies. She wanted to shield the creatures of the forest from her sorrow, the hurt she felt deep inside.

"What did I do wrong?!" She snapped at a scurrying lizard trying to make its way up a tree before falling at the sudden sound of someone yelling at it.

Kagome sighed, resting her head on her arms that lay crossed over her knees. She closed her eyes and continued to cry, hidden in the confines of her arms as she listened carefully to her surroundings.

A frown marred her features as a slight shuffle and crunch of leaves, and the feel of cool steel against her neck caused her to open her eyes a little. She saw black sandal boots step into her view before following her gaze up silky white hakama's and past the blue silk sash and silk white haori. She looked into deep blue eyes, staring curiously at her, as if he'd discovered a fascinating treasure, but wasn't yet sure what to do with it.

'_Humph...what treasure...' _Kagome thought as she looked down not meeting his eyes. She really didn't feel worth anything anymore.

"What's your name girl?" the man asked, as he stood in-front of her waiting for an answer.

Kagome glanced up, "...Kagome..." After that all went black.

**-x-x-x-**

"Big brother...what do you plan to do with her?" That was what Kagome heard as she woke up. The voice was feminine but also held a masculine tone to it..if that made sense.

Slowly opening her eyes she was greeted by the sight of stone. She guessed they were in a cave of some sort. Her blue eyes scanned the space and as she sat up she heard movement.

Kagome guessed her..saviors? She guessed that is what she could call them for now. They must have heard her movements...because all talking ceased and she heard footsteps.

"I see you're awake..." Looking up she met the blue eyes of the man from before, and besides him was a..male...yes male, but he had very feminine clothing on.

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome nodded, "Seems like it," she sat up and felt dizzy immediately afterwards. A hand steadied her and she saw it was the feminine male who, although he was helping her, didn't seem pleased by the situation in the least bit. He handed her a small water pouch and helped her drink.

"How long were you out in the cold?"

She finished drinking and glanced up at the boy with blue eyes, well..man, perhaps would fit his build better than 'boy' would. "I'm not sure, I was sitting there well before night had crept up on me, who are you?"

"...Bankotsu, and this is Jakotsu, he will be in charge of helping you with any needs you might have, the others have yet to return from their duties, so while I have you here with only me and Jakotsu, I would like for you to listen closely to what I have to say. While I don't know how long you will be staying with us, you will need to be careful around some of my fellow brothers, few are kind and with morals, even Jakotsu has intentions of murdering you, but he will listen to me, of that I am sure."

"So...you are keeping him from killing me?"

"Big Brother is in charge of us, he leads us, and keeps us from reliving terror."

"...reliving?"

Jakotsu glared at her, "...humph~"

Bankotsu smiled, "Don't worry about him, it's a sore subject, not one which needs to be brought up. As I said though, only a few are kind, their names Kyokotsu, Mukotsu, Renkotsu, Ginkotsu, and Suikotsu. Together we make the band of Seven." " So what do you plan to do with me now?" Kagome asked, shifting her eyes over to Jakotsu then back to Bankotsu. She wasn't sure if she could trust them.

Her trust was very thin now...after what happened.

Kagome sighed when she didn't receive an answer. Bankotsu was just looking at her. It was as if he was trying to find something, but couldn't quite find it.

"Hmmm, as of now..." He paused looking at Jakotsu, "..nothing..."

"...as of now?" Kagome wasn't sure that she liked how that sounded, but he didn't seem as though he was going to be saying any more on the matter either. "So, if I am to stay here...what exactly can I do? I don't want to be a burden..." That was all she was while apart of Inuyasha's shard hunting group, and now...now...Kami, she was still not sure what had happened.

"Hey!"

Kagome jumped and turned curious and slightly alarmed eyes to Bankotsu who looked a bit irked, most likely because of her spacing out on him. She did that often, and knew how it bugged people to no end, being ignored wasn't something anyone actually enjoyed, after all. "Sorry...what?"

"I was asking you, what kind of skills do you have?"

"...I can cook...and..." Kagome stopped for a moment, glancing down at her hands, she wondered just how much she should mention, sighing, she looked into the blue eyes of the man in front of her. Her thoughts were wild, moving without her say so, in directions she deemed pointless to go in. _Would he turn on her the way they did? Would they use her to meet their own ends? If she told them about the Shikon Jewel and her ability to see the shards...would they kill her once they obtained the complete Shikon no Tama or give the jewel to her?_ Questions that couldn't be answered, she knew as much too, but it didn't stop her from thinking about them. _'I...can't go back to them...and I can't return home...but...no! I am not going to quit in my search for the Shikon no Tama! If I am to be its guardian, whether with Bankotsu or on my own...I will find and complete the Shikon Jewel!'_ Kagome thought with determination rooting itself deeply in both her mind and heart. "...I can see the shards of the Shikon Jewel..."

She watched Bankotsu's blue eyes widen, as well as Jakotsu's. Jakotsu, who had been sitting off to the side listening to their conversation rather sullenly, looked completely taken by surprise that she might actually be of some use to his Big Brother.

"..." Bankotsu didn't say anything though.

Kagome actually worried more over his silence, but it was too late to take back what she'd said...all she could do now...was wait.

Bankotsu looked at the woman in front of him, trying to figure out what to do with her. He could turn her over to Naraku, but he didn't trust the demon. He could use her though...if she wanted to be useful...he would make her so.

"You don't want to be a burden, you said, right woman?" Bankotsu asked the blue eyed woman who looked at him with confusion.

"...yes...that is true..." Kagome didn't know where he was going with this. Her fate was mostly in this mans hands...she just hoped she made the right choice telling him of her powers.

Bankotsu grinned, "For now you will help us find the Shards...and in return we shall teach you how to be a fighter. You will no longer need people helping you...you won't have to worry about being a burden by the time we are done teaching you."

Kagome bit her lip, the offer was tempting...but could she trust him to keep his word.

Taking a deep breath Kagome closed her eyes and whispered her answer, she just hoped it was the right choice...only time would tell.

**x-X-x**

**Akuma: Hope everyone is enjoying these recent updates, I know we've been missing for a while from our Co-Authored fics, but hopefully we'll be getting chapters up and out faster now, nyan~!**

**Yuki: So...this had been a story in the making for awhile...we forgot about it for awhile..ops? Hope you all enjoy it all the same! Read and Review! **


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